"Australia is such a beautiful country, how could you leave it?"
"Was it not hard to leave everything behind?"
"Do you think you'll ever go back?"
"How did you find your job?"
I often get emails from strangers and friends asking me these questions. When I meet people here or abroad for the first time, one of the above always comes up. People seem so interested, confused and puzzled about my move to the other side of the world.
I briefly mentioned my reasons for moving in my first ever post here, I thought I would touch on the topic again - if not at least to answer some peoples questions and others thoughts - however my first post sums it up pretty well.
If you go and read the post you will most probably be thinking how simple it all sounds. Well...it was simple. The truth was that I never thought about it and then that was all I could think about. Confused?
Moving to the other side of the world was simple for the reason that I had an Italian passport. So that ladies and gentlemen made my transition nice and easy. My twin and I got those sorted in Melbourne. With our dad being born in Italy, and he being naturalised long after our births it was easy enough to obtain.
I left Australia with my twin sister and her then boyfriend - now husband with the intention of returning after 3 months. I was only intending to see a little bit of the world...I just lost track of time.
We back packed for 3 months, seeing many many countries - including Italy where we spent a good deal of time. It wasn't love at first site when I landed here in Rome, but I felt as though something inside of me had been switched on. From Rome we went to spend 10 days in my grandparents village in Puglia and I remember thinking that these people were just like me; melodramatic, emotional, passionate, crying one minute and then laughing the next. I can only describe that I felt so comfortable with them, I felt as though I was one of them, I felt like I was in a way 'home.'
This may sound very strange to a lot of people reading this, but then at the same time a lot of you will know exactly what feelings I am describing. It is hard to put into words. It is difficult to explain to someone that you can enter a foreign country where you hardly speak the language, yet you have an instant connection. Must be something in the blood...?
Read on for part 2 3 4 & 5
6 comments:
I can totally relate to what you are saying about feeling at home in Italy. I have always loved Italy, the culture, the people, the way of life. I have family there that I feel so close and connected to even though I haven't seen them in years. I email back and forth with my cousin in Italy (she is 26) and I light up...I am happy. I know this trip will be SO good for me right now and I know that when I come back I'll be taking the steps I need in order to hopefully make a move to Italy. I just feel like I'm meant for something other than what I'm living now. I know you can understand where I'm coming from and it's really cool to have that! :) I'll stop babbling. Do you have MSN? We should chat :P Ciao for now! :)
Hi Lulu,
I know exactly what you are talking about :) This trip will be really good for you. We must chat - I think we have lots in common! I'll send you an email.
I hear you girl! I remember writing something similar...people always assume it was this BIG decision when I really don't feel like it was a decision at all--just something I knew I had to do, so I did it. I think that this is along the lines of what people say about falling in love...when you know, you know. You know? ;)
Hi Michelle,
I know....you do just know don't you?!
It is very much like falling in love as in my case it just sort of happened with no effort, or thought...just like moving to Italy involved no effort of thought...gosh - we make moving to Italy seem so easy, but for me and you..it was.
Lovely to have discovered your blog!
I'm an Australian travel writer who has lived in Dubai and before than Abu Dhabi for 10 years, and have been travelling continuously from one writing commission to another (ie. from one city/country to another city/country) for the last 2.5 years.
I always get the same kinds of questions that you do about why I don't live in Australia and whether I want to return to Australia and when do I intend to move back. Fortunately my publishers have given me a couple of projects down under so I've got to spend time with family a bit over the last couple of years. And I love Australia, I really do, but it's always going to be there, the world is a big place, there's just so much to see, and so many places to live. How can I move back??? Now, I know you know that answer...
Love Calabria, by the way - spent a month there a few months ago, then a month in Milano, and just finished a month on the road in Northern Italy. You're going to love your new life in Italy!
Hi Lara,
So you are an Aussie travel writer! It is good you get some jobs back home once in a while as it is so expensive now for tickets too. When I looked a few weeks ago the cheapest I could find was 1700€ as fuel is so expensive these days.
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